What should I write on my project page?

Your project page is your shop window. Make it look and sound great in order to maximise its crowdfunding potential

Your project page is like a book cover. The first impression is paramount to enticing your audience to read on and pledge.

First things first; the punchy title and URL (link)

This must be short, memorable and explicit; your plan should be obvious from the title alone. Avoid clogging your title up with empty adjectives and instead use place names or themes your audience can relate to.

Here are some project titles and URLs of Spacehive campaigns that were successful:

Once you’ve chosen your title and URL do a quick test by asking yourself and perhaps a few friends if they can tell clearly from the title what the project is about.

Time to make your pitch

Start by waving the bait! Give your audience the captivating basics, and with each section leave them hungry for more, reeling them in slowly. Try to imagine that each section might be the only thing a backer will read, so encapsulate the essence of your idea in each section.

Intro (200 characters)

Like your title this needs to concisely sum up your project idea, making sure to squeeze in answers to what, where, when, who, why and how!

Sounds great! Tell us more about it (1000 characters)

It could be argued that this is the most important section; if someone has read on this far they’re considering to pledge so now you have three short paragraphs to tell them every reason why this project would be excellent and how they could benefit from it. Civic crowdfunding does not attract philanthropic pledges – you are selling your community something, and this is the sparkling tooth advert!

So what, specifically, will you do if you raise the money you need? (what will you deliver)

Aim to make five specific points that are tangible. Keep them short and use captivating, varied verbs (e.g. Rejuvenate, Pioneer, Engage). Avoid using vague or general language.

Why is it a great idea (1000 characters)

Think about your target groups and why they would want the project; the broader you can make your audience the better! (e.g. children, local businesses, council, parents, grandparents, grant bodies) You can also use this space to also mention support you have to date, such as petitions, Facebook groups, grants, etc.

Milestones

Design a chronological, decisive list of action points, giving potential backers confidence that you are organised and well-researched, and therefore trustworthy to deliver the plan.

The Image Gallery

A picture tells a thousand words, and by accompanying your description with some bright and colourful images, people will get a much better sense of what the project is about. Make sure you have current images of the space, and if applicable, people using it. Also include any drawings or impressions of what the space will look like if you can deliver the project; help them visualise what they’re backing.

The Video

Anyone can create a video. You don’t have to have sophisticated software or a state of the art camera, just a smart phone and some passion for the project is all that is needed. See our advice on making a video for your campaign.